Workplace Electrical Hazards
Guest Post
Avoiding Hazards
Keeping your workplace safe involves being vigilant regarding a wide range of dangers. One of most important ones is electrical hazards. When you’re in a space with so many items powered by electricity all around you, it’s important to ensure that they’re installed or set up properly and that you’re maintaining safe practices while using them. For example, in a typical office, you may have lighting, space heaters and a high-tech workstation with computers, monitors, phones, printers and other electronics, all in one small cubicle. There are several things to consider when it comes to electrical safety in the workplace.
Proper Wiring
Although it may seem like an easy task to install a light fixture or otherwise wire something into your electrical system, it’s important to leave this work to a pro unless you’re trained and licensed. Improper wiring is a major fire hazard because a circuit may be overloaded or you may end up with wires that don’t get properly connected. For example, say you want to install track lighting systems in your workplace. Have a pro handle the ceiling box installation, and then you can decide where you want each of the lights on the track positioned.
Avoiding Overloading Circuits
With all of the high-powered equipment these days, electrical circuits can be easily overloaded. If you have too many things plugged into the same outlet, even through power strips, this could be a fire hazard. Pay attention to the maximum load listed on each power strip and install additional outlets if you’ve reached the maximum an outlet can take, making sure you’re not just adding new outlets to the same circuit. This is especially important in workplaces with large pieces of equipment that draw a lot of power, like factories or high-tech data storage centers.
Electrical Heat
Many types of electrically powered items generate heat. Computers, boxes on power adapters and even connections between a plug and an outlet can all become warm. If there’s something flammable nearby, it could ignite. That’s why it’s important to keep flammable items away from power cords or warm equipment, and to ensure that high-powered electrical connections don’t sit directly on carpet. In addition, if employees are allowed to use space heaters, make sure these stay at least a foot away from anything flammable on all sides and have at least 6 inches of space around them with enough airflow to keep them from overheating and catching fire.
Electricity and Water
Electrical shock becomes a much more serious concern when water is involved. Although you may think it’s a great idea to have electrical outlets in the break room kitchen near the sink, this situation is quite dangerous. It’s important to install ground fault circuit interrupter outlets in potentially wet environments to reduce the risk of shock. These detect leaks of current and cut the power right away to keep the current from going into your body. In addition, do not operate electrical items while standing in water.
Common sense and attention to detail are the two major skills you need to protect yourself from electrical hazards. With a healthy appreciation for the potential danger of electricity, you’ll follow the rules and leave the big fixes up to the professionals. You should attend to preventing electrical hazards not only when you first establish your workplace, but also on a regular basis as your equipment ages and power cords may start fraying. A little attention goes a long way in preventing electrical catastrophes.
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